Insults: the fastest way to losing customers

Whenever dealing with potential or existing customers, try to apply this simple rule: make sure you never, ever offend them. Because insults are not the best tool there is to get new business your way. Now that we’ve already remembered this simple rule, someone should really tell Ryanair! They apparently weren’t awake when this was taught…

What brought this on? A friend pointed out this intriguing story on Wired about Ryanair offending a blogger through comments. So what did the blogger do? He thought he had discovered a security leak and wrote about it. And later admitted he was too quick to expose a threat that wasn’t really there. Ryanair’s spokesperson admitted it was them spreading out the bad words. Don’t dream of an apology though, actually, here’s what they said, according to the same Wired article:

“It is Ryanair policy not to waste time and energy in corresponding with idiot bloggers, and Ryanair can confirm that it won’t be happening again. Lunatic bloggers can have the blog sphere all to themselves, as our people are far too busy driving down the cost of air travel.”

Well, I’m a blogger! So probably an idiot as well in the view of Ryanair employees and decision makers. But I’m not an idiot. And there’s something else I’ll never be: a Ryanair customer! Moreover, I’m not alone in thinking they were wrong. I know such companies still think their low prices allow them to act like jerks. Actually, it allows them to charge me for food and for my luggage, to always be late and all that. But low cost does not automatically imply poor customer service. Simply because there are plenty low cost flights out there!